Virginia Apple Butter
Source of Recipe
This reduced recipe of the Effinger's Firefighters apple butter recipe was provided by and is copyright © 2002 Diane Bane of Effinger, Va.
List of Ingredients
Take 75 bushels of apples,
600 pounds of sugar,
two pounds of cinnamon,
two ounces of cloves,
a lot of sweat and what do you get?
A whole lot of apple butter.
Here's a reduced version of their popular Apple Butter that will make just enough for your family and friends.
One-half bushel of apples (about 21 pounds. You can use Yellow Delicious or Rome)
One quart of water
Five pounds of sugar
Five drops of oil of cinnamon
Ten to 13 one-pint sterilized glass jarsRecipe
1. Place the apples in a very large pot and add one quart of water. Do not cover the apples in water. Cook the apples down, as if you were making applesauce.
2. Mash the apples with a fork or with a hand blender and place in a metal baking pan. You may have too much to fit in one pan, you may have to make a few batches separately, depending on the size of your ove. Plus, you want to lose moisture in order to make a thick apple butter, so you don't cover the pan. This cooking process can make a very messy oven, so make sure you're ready to clean it when finished.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 and cook the apples for 45 minutes or until very bubbly.
4. Lower the temperature to 275 and cook for 4 to 5 hours. Open the door occasionally and stir the apples. Take the apples out when they are dark brown in color.
5. If you like the apple butter to be on the sweet side, add 5 pounds of sugar.
6. Put the apples back in the oven at 275 degrees for 2 to 3 hours. Stir occasionally. The apples are ready when they look dark red/brown in color.
7. Add 5 drops of oil of cinnamon and stir well. Put the apple butter in jars that have been washed and sterilized. Refrigerate the apple butter when you open up the jar.
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